Memory Lane

Last week Rob flew to Vegas for a couple of days for a business trip leaving me and Noah home. I was thinking about what fun things we should do to make it special for just the two of us. Movies? Aquarium? Dinner? It's all stuff we do anyways so my first thought was that it wasn't special enough. But in reality it is- I have amazing memories taking Noah to do fun things just the two of us and sometimes I take these activities for granted.

Thinking about this made me a little nostalgic for our newlywed days. We lived in the cutest little apartment by the U of U. It wasn't my first time living away from home but it was definitely the first time I felt like an adult. Having our own place with our own stuff was the best. I loved decorating our little place and being a wife. I went to school during the day and worked nights waiting tables. I remember thinking it was a lot if I could earn 300 bucks in a week.

It wasn't very often that I would have a night off with Rob missing in action but occasionally he had to work or had a class. When it happened I looked forward to these nights because it was 'me time'. I would treat myself to take out/eating out then watch what ever I wanted on our one tv or rent a video of my choice from Blockbuster. I loved these nights, I felt so grown up and did whatever I wanted. We went out to dinner occasionally but it was usually someplace cheap like Taco Bell or Subway.

Again I was thinking about the 'good old days' when life seemed simpler and less complicated. The days when eating out was a treat, what a contrast compared to now when I go out to lunch nearly everyday. The days when my closets and drawers were filled with necessities and not excess-I-don't-even-know-what-is packed-in-there.
I knew Noah and I would have fun together without daddy but it wouldn't feel like it did back then.

Then I got the crazy idea maybe I should look at getting a new car. I loved my Jeep and it was a great car but we both felt like it was time to dump it, fast, before it was going to dump us for way more than it was worth. Rob just bought his new car earlier last year so we had no intentions of getting another one this year- so I wanted something super practical and affordable until I would be ready for an upgrade. Noah and I hung out at the Honda dealership for about five hours and bought ourselves a new Civic. I felt like an adult again- I negotiated and haggled and got a great deal- all by myself. Rob was on board via Vegas but how strange to buy a new car without him. I'm kinda thinking my car salesman probably thinks I am lying about being married- he never saw Rob once.

I guess in the end I accomplished something totally out of the norm but I'm still thinking about the old days and wanting life to feel less busy, less stressful, less complicated, less conspicuous consumption, and easier. What an oxy moron to have gotten a new car, but in the end the value of reliability is far outweighs the alternative.

I'm starting to feel like my motto this year is to simplify and not take life for granted. To often I am looking for the next best thing or looking past the week ready for the weekend. Sometimes I forget that I have created a great life with Rob. I love my career and love that I know I add value. In reality it is my family which makes my home that special place, not the stuff, not even the new car- even if she is super cute glossy black with sparkly specs and a nice tint. :)

Our first little home...